Responding on the announcement of the Department for Transport’s rail review, Sir John Peace, Chair of Midlands Connect, said:
“This review is really a major undertaking of crucial importance on the Midlands. Midlands Connect is looking to get assurances that your partnership posseses an active role during the entire process.
“We carry on and work alongside our partners and neighbouring bodies, including both West Midlands Rail Executive and Transport to the East Midlands, to make certain local expertise can drive continued improvement of your rail network and services through the Midlands.
“Demand for rail travel is already growing faster from the Midlands than London additionally, the East. To service this added demand, Midlands Connect is developing cost-effective intends to introduce 24 additional passenger trains every hour through our Midlands Rail Hub proposals.
“Our ambitious plans raises capacity and reliability, cut journey times and help grow the economy by £649 million each and every year. We must carry on with improving our rail network for the passengers and freight. We are going to lead to this review to make sure that nothing is left unturned making these vital upgrades happen as soon as possible.
“We’re pleased the review will examine the role of regional partnerships understanding that the Secretary of State for Transport acknowledges rail network investment haven’t kept pace when using the rapid development of demand since privatisation.
“Using the firstly the Rail Review’s reforms due by 2020, the roles and responsibilities of Sub-national Transport Bodies, like Midlands Connect, has to be considered in parallel, while we work on gaining statutory status alongside Transport for any North.”
